Gun Storage Advice Needed

I would like to cache three AR’s in a wall in one of my storage areas. The six inch wall is within a closet with a removable panel for access. The storage area is lined but not air tight. The closet is opened into a room that I cool in the summer at about 78 degrees but do not heat. I live in a humid area with 70-80% the norm. I need to know how to prepare the guns for long term storage. What to enclose them in, what type of prep for the metal, oxygen absorbers, desiccant packs, etc. I was thinking about using Z-Corr bags (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/127346/z-corr-tactical-firearm-storage-bag-47) but is that enough? Thoughts and advice appreciated.

 

The only way to guarantee no rust is no oxygen. I have sealed a 10/22 in a vacuum bag with my vacuum sealer and after roughly 3 years it looks the same. I sprayed it down with G-56 prior to sealing. That said, I've seen Cosmoline, dunked in motor oil, and Vaseline used. Barring these methods, a well oiled gun sealed in a PVC tube with O2 absorbers may work well.

 

I thought I might be able to oil it down well and seal it in a 11 in wide long seal-a-meal bag. Think that might work?

 

No wood. They will have to store vertically. Think cosmoline would be better? Does it come in a grease consistent? The guns are new. Would they have a long term oil on them from the factory?

 

Cosmoline would work fine but is a bitch to get off. Use diesel to remove it and will also semi lube the internals if you don't wipe it all out. Will also have to stash away some diesel for the cleaning.

 

Don't know what kind of grease they used with the USSR SKS's, but had a couple that were hidden in by tje russians for 30-40 years that while it took days to clean with diesel and solvent, cleaned up and looked like new.

 

Ditto what @Mountainman said and no they will not. Not near enough oil on them from the factory. Not sure what your plan is (and don't need to) but if these weapons are to be ready for a rapid recovery to be put into instant use you don't want cosmoline. The vac seal and or mylar bags would be better for that IMHO. Also, you mentioned they are new. Strongly suggest you put at least 500 rns through each before storage.You don't need to be opening up a bag of jamomatics if/when you really need them..

 

Good idea, never thought about it.

 

Another thing on the vac seal a gun thing.Take the time to cover any sharp/pointy edges with a couple layers of paper towels or shop cloths before vac sealing. this will keep the pointy edges from poking through your bag and ruining the vac. I've done this with ammo on stripper clips before sealing.

 

Why not do what the U.S. Mil storage depot's do, and lube with tranny fluid thinned cosmo, and then wrap in a layer or two of heavy wax paper and then you can just shove in a card board box ( unless water can get to them) the mylar bag would also work out very well!

 

Exactly what I did.

 

Good bearings, and a lot of the better tool parts, tool bits, etc, come wrapped in a paper that has a rust inhibitor in it and sealed in a heavy plastic bag. Sealing is to keep the vapor in and displace water and oxygen and they can be used out of the bag without cleaning off. They work as I have had Bosch parts that were 20 years old with no rust and it seems to keep the greases from going bad in the bearings and using a solvent to clean off a coating would destroy the lube. Don't know what effect the vapor would have on wood or plastic. I have seen WW 1 parts, 100 years old, that were oiled, dipped in wax, and put in spam cans that were soldered shut, that had no rust at all, and have heard of gun parts in England that were 300 years old that were dipped in wax and are still good. Good idea on being sure it is broken in and would seem a good idea to have some spare parts included in the storage package.

 

It's winter time and you'll have to be more careful storing while storing gun. I would prefer self storage units. You should make sure that it doesn't become corrosive. Also it is better to keep them in gun socks. This will add another layer of protection.

 

If you use cosmoline... consider storing some varsol.. it will cut through it like gasoline but safer ( lower flash point).

 

Now, depending on how long a period of time you're talking, I'm sure one of those bags from MidwayUSA would work just fine.

I know there's plenty of products similar to that one. These bags, carried at Brownell's, look pretty durable, too: BROWNELLS TRIPLE TOUGH™ PREMIUM STORAGE BAGS | Brownells

Toss a decent sized bag of moisture gobbling material, and a decent sized O2 absorber in there, then seal the crap out of the opening, and I'm betting you'd do just fine, without having to resort to cosmoline. The only reason the military sticks with that crap, is because it's good for decades of storage.....and it's CHEAP.

 

I found 5 gallon mylar bags handle a upper or lower with extra stuff for an ar. Heavily oiled then o2 absorbents and seal.

 

Wrap in blue mechanics wipes that around sprayed LPS-3 metal , the wrapping will stop the vacuum bags from being puncture from the inside items . wood I remove from metal and do the same but rith the oil for the stock and wrap well.. then the next part is restricted on them falling overboard.
Sloth

 

Stainless steel, aluminum, soaked with oil and stored in new mexico is about as rust free as you can get.